Author: The Nation

Absence of a Federal High Court judge has stalled judgment in a suit seeking the disqualification of the candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Enugu State in the 2023 elections.

Justice Folashade Giwa-Ogunbanjo had fixed February 15 to deliver judgment in the matter instituted by the senatorial candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) for Enugu North Senatorial District, Chika Idoko.

The suit is seeking to stop candidates of the PDP from taking part in the general election on February 25 and March 11.

However, the judge was indisposed to sit yesterday, as she was reported to be absent on health grounds.

In the suit, Idoko had also sued the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), PDP and all its candidates in Enugu State.

He is claiming that the PDP primary election was in contravention of Section 77 of the Electoral Act and should thus be voided.

He said the party should be punished in line with extant provisions of the Section 84 of the same Act.

His argument is that the party submitted its membership register to INEC on May 6, 2022, less than 30 days to its primary election, contrary to the provision of the law.

Cross River State Police Command has assured people that no stone would be left unturned in its determination to ensure a peaceful general election.

Police Commissioner (CP) Sule Balarabe gave the assurance after a show of force and combat readiness parade held yesterday on major streets in Calabar.

Joined by heads of other security agencies, including the Army, Navy, Civil Defence, DSS, among others, the police commissioner said it was expedient to let the public understand that security forces were united and prepared to combat any uprising that might disrupt the election.

He urged parents and guardians to ensure their children and wards were not used for political thuggery.

Balarabe said during on election day, voters were expected to go back home or stand 300 metres away from the polling units.

The show of force parade took place about the same time the Chairman of Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Anthony Attah, addressed reporters in Calabar to express reservations about the state of security preparations for the elections.

He alleged that intelligence showed that some police officers of questionable character would be posted to the state for the elections.

Reacting to the allegations, police spokesperson SP Irene Ugbo said the command would discharge its duties according to international best practices.

Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for Anambra Central, Sen. Uche Ekwunife, has raised the alarm over waves of fake news and false allegations against her, ahead of the forthcoming general election.

She wondered why opponents have resorted to politics of calumny targeted at maligning her, instead of focusing on issue-based campaigns.

Speaking yesterday during an interactive session with reporters, organised by the state Council of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Ekwunife accused politicians of not showing maturity in their campaigns.

She cautioned reporters not to allow themselves to be used in publishing falsehood against politicians.

Ekwunife said: “Politicians don’t practise politics of maturity. All they do is blackmail to the extent that they forged my letterhead to fabricate all manner of falsehood against me. They are out to pull me down and malign my reputation.

“They are even pulling down billboards, tearing and defacing my posters. They have forgotten that my billboards are in the hearts of the people. We can’t continue like this. Just because of election, the opposition are raising false allegations and fake stories against me.

“I am not gunning for the president. I’m vying for the Senate under the PDP. I am proud of PDP.”

Describing growing insecurity as the major problem in the country, particularly in the Southeast, she said the monster was enough to impede growth and development in the region.

Ekwunife said legislators in the zone were working out plans towards addressing insecurity.

She advised monarchs and chairmen of local governments to partner the state government to tackle insecurity.

Ekwunife, who is seeking re-election, listed erosion control work, construction of solar powered street lights, boreholes in communities, women, youths and widows empowerment, among the developmental projects she had attracted to her constituency.

Ebonyi State Government has described the ruling on the disbandment of Ebubeagu security outfit by a Federal High Court sitting in Abakaliki as a miscarriage of justice and law.

The government at a joint news briefing by the Commissioner of Information and State Orientation, Uchenna Orji; the Principal Secretary, Emmanuel Obasi and the State Security Consultant, Stanley Okoro Emegha, at the old Government House, Abakaliki, said the judgment could not stand.

Orji said the government had filed for stay of execution and was prepared to pursue the matter to a logical conclusion via the courts.

Over 1,000 youths from local governments yesterday in Abakaliki protested the disbandment of the Ebubeagu security outfit.

The protesters, who chanted war songs, carried placards with inscriptions such as: “We love Ebubeagu”, “Ebonyi youths stand with Ebubeagu”, “Ebubeagu has come to stay in Ebonyi State’, “Ebubeagu for peace and security of Ebonyi state”, “No security, no peace”.

Their leader, Mr. Stanley Kamali, said: “We will not accept that judgment delivered by Justice Fatun Riman of the Federal High Court sitting in Abakaliki. Ebubeagu operatives have come to stay.”

Suspected thugs have attacked the deputy governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abia State, Jasper Uche.

Information about the attack at press time was sketchy.

It was, however, gathered that Uche was attacked at Umunneochi Local Government headquarters where he had gone to meet party stakeholders.

Our correspondent learnt that the choice of the leadership of the party in the state to replace the running mate of their governorship candidate, the late Prof. Uche Ikonne, Okey Igwe; with the new running mate, Uche, following the death of Ikonne, had been brewing bad blood among aggrieved party stakeholders, who felt Igwe was marginalised by the party.

Uche and Igwe hail from Umunneochi Local Government, indicating that the party in the council may not form a common front ahead of the general election.

A source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed the attack at Umunneochi.

The source, however, alleged that the attack was on supporters of the deputy governorship candidate, adding that he (the deputy governorship candidate), was not at the venue at the time of the attack.

The source said the matter had been tabled before the state chapter of the PDP, who had promised to investigate the matter and mete out appropriate sanction if the hoodlums were linked to any chieftain of the party.

• Igwe urges supporters to maintain peace

The leadership of the Abia State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said it dropped the running mate to the late Prof. Uche Ikonne, Okey Igwe, because he has dual citizenship.

The leadership, in a phone interview with our correspondent yesterday through its Publicity Secretary and Vice Chairman, Abia North PDP, Amah Abraham, said the party took the decision to avoid going into the March 11 governorship election without any candidate. 

”In recent times, we have seen a lot of cases being handled by different courts, from the Court of Appeal to the Supreme Court.

”The issues of the president and his running mate or the governor and his running mate are considered as a ticket. Once there is any defect in one of them, it affects both of them.

”Our former governorship candidate is deceased and as a result of that, a section of the Electoral Act was activated. That section requires a primary election to be conducted and conducting fresh primaries means a new candidate must emerge from the party and that was exactly what happened. 

”A new candidate has emerged and one of the legal privileges of a candidate who emerges as a standard-bearer of the party either as a governor or a president is that the first privilege that accrues to the person is the right to nominate his or her running mate. 

”Igwe is a dual citizen; he has served in the American Military. We cannot because of his individual interest take a risk that will make our party go into an election without a candidate.

However, Igwe in a statement yesterday to his supporters said:  “My candidature subsists in accordance with the constitution and the Electoral Act.

He urged his supporters to exercise caution and understand that “their attempt to unlawfully subvert my candidature will fail.

Igwe advised his supporters to remain law-abiding and stay the course towards victory.